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- An Ó Neill sept is cited here
- Kentigern's
(abt. 528-614) success as bishop if clouded by the fact that the bishopric
of Glasgow has no recorded history for some centuries after him and
he his not mentioned in the lives of Columba, David, and Asaph. According
to Bede, St. Augustine's conference with bishops and teachers
of the British church dates to 602 at Augustine's Oak. Seven British
bishops and numerous scholar-monks from the monastery of Bangor-is-Coed
met Augustine and his associated clergy.
- As St. Maelrubha of Applecross
was himself connected on his mother's side with St. Comgall, founder
and first abbott of Bangor
of the Irish Picts in the Ards of Ulster', the right to the abbeylands
may at first have passed in the Pictish mode, and the O'Beollans
perhaps have acquired the abbacy by a female descent or tanistry in
the transitional ninth century. Applecross abbey was founded in 673
by Saint Maelrubha, abbott of Bangor, who descended from Eoghan (Owen),
another son of King Niall. The earliest man we known of to have the
comital title to Ross,
was the rebel Máel Coluim mac Áeda.
- The Cenél Aedha, of Cenél
Conaill, a sept descended from Conall Gulban who are said to have
given their name to the barony of Tirhugh, alias Tír Aedha,
in county Donegal.
- The Uí Echach were
also known as the Uí Echach Coba to distinguish them from similarly
named groups, to the east in the Ards peninsula (Ui Eachach Arda),
and to the west in Airgialla.
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- Very early the MacGillmores; MacGiolla-Muire (MacGillmore or Gilmore)
possessed the district of the Ards. Grey
abbey was situated in the Ards Peninsula, seven miles from Newtownards,
at the confluence of a small river and the Strangford
Lough.
- Comber abbey
was colonised with monks from Whitland in Wales, January 1200. An
early Irish monastery, founded by St.
Patrick, previously existed on the site, but is thought to have
been defunct by the time the
Cistercians arrived. The site of the abbey lies at the northwest
end of Strangford Lough, at the mouth of the river Enler.
- The Viking tide was turned by Muircertach, Niall Glundubh's son
and successor. His base was the Grianan of Aileach near Derry, a circular
dry-stone fort still in a good state of preservation; from here he
set out with his army in mid-winter (hence his name Muircertach
of the Leather Cloaks). In a vigorous campaigning career Muircertach
won victories over the invaders at sea on Strangford Lough in 926,
took and burned Dublin in 939, ravaged the Norse settlements in the
Scottish Isles with an Ulster fleet in 941 and died in combat in 943.
- Savage is cited here following the incursions of de Courcy in he
late 12th century. The county continued chiefly in the possession
of the same families at the period
of the settlement of the North of Ireland in the reign of King
James, at the commencement of the seventeenth century, with the addition
of the English families of Savage and White.
- The Glynnes, so
called from the intersection of its surface by many rock dells, extended
from Larne, northward
along the coast, to Ballycastle,
being backed by the mountains on the west, and containing the present
baronies of Glenarm
and part of that of Carey.
- The Route
included nearly all the rest of the county to the west and north,
forming the more ancient Dalrieda. A right of supremacy over the lords
of this territory was claimed by the powerful family of the northern
O'Nials (now written Ó
Neill), who were at length deprived of the southern part of this
county, at the time of the arrival of the English, by the family of
Savage and other English adventurers. The ruins of Antrim Castle can
be found in Antrim Castle Gardens, a water gardens site that dates
as far back as the 17th century; one of the earliest of its kind remaining
in the British Isles the gardens feature an ancient motte.
- Other northern septs:
The Uí Echach na hÁrda, of the ards of county Down,
are given in descent from Eochaid Gunnat in the Book of Leinster.
The Cinel-Eachach are noted by Seamus O Ceallaigh in the Airghiallian
kingdom of Uí Fhiachrach of Ard Sratha (Ardstraw, Co. Tyrone).
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- The MacGilmores, kings of the Uí Derca Cein, were later centered
here.
- A O'Mulcreevy sept is cited here, as well as near Newry.
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- The O'Murrys (McIlmurray) were located here.
The Compostition Book of the province of Connaught and Thomond (1585)
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Iveagh (Lower-Lower Half)
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- Iveagh was anciently part of the territory of the Uí Eatach
Cobha. Horses are significant
not only in the origin legend of Lough Neagh, but also in Geraldus
Cambrensis' story of the inauguration ritual of an Ulster king. Another
Uí Eachach family
in Co. Down gave rise to the barony name Iveagh, from the dative Uibh
Eachach." and the earliest union of the Picts and the Scots (Connacht).
- MagAonghusa (Magennis or McGuinness), lords of Iveagh. Noted chiefs
of Airghialla included Ua Laidhgnén (O'Leighnin?), Ua Éiccnigh
(O'Heany or Hegney), Ua Cerbhaill (O'Carroll), Ua Baígelláin
(O'Boylan), Ua Anluain (O'Hanlon), Mac Mathgamna (MacMahon), among
others.
- O'Haedha (O'Hugh) is given as chief of Fernmoy centered in the barony
of Lower Iveagh.
- the Book of Fenagh and Leabhar na
gCeart make note of an Uí
Echach (baronies of Iveagh, co. Down) as a sub-territory of Airghialla
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Iveagh (Lower-Upper Half)
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- The Oriel sept of O'Rogan is cited in Iveagh prior to the 13th century,
as well as the O'Rooneys, O'Hanvys and O'Devaneys. In the 12th century,
the Irish Annals note Ua Ruadhacain (O'Rogan) as chiefs of Airthir,
an area which may have been more restricted in size. The Ua Ruadacháin
were noted as chiefs of Uí Eachach (Echdach), tributary to
the O'Hanlons at the time. An Oriel sept of Ua
Ruadhacain (O'Rogan) is cited in (or near) Armagh prior to the
13th century. The Kingdom of Airghialla
was broken up by the Saxon-Gall (Anglo-Norman) advance into Ireland
in the late twelfth and early thirteenth century.
- The O'Lavery sept, originally of northeast Ulster are found her
in medieval times near Moira.
In 637 Ulster's resistance to the
Gaels received a near mortal blow at Moira and Dalriada lost its
lands in Ulster after siding with the vanquished. Over the centuries
Ulster people became the dominant population in the Galloway and Ayrshire
area of Scotland. The Ulster-Scottish kingdom of Dalriada continued
until the close of
the eighth century.
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Iveagh (Upper-Lower Half)
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- MagAonghusa (Magennis or McGuinness),
lords of Iveagh. The Catalogue of Kings of Uladh states that no less
than eight of them were descended from this Connla. The race
of Connla, son of Aífe and Cuchulainn is represented by
the Magennises of Iveagh in whose family the lordship of Iveagh was
hereditary. His mother Aife was a female warrior from Alba, a rival
of Scathach the Amazon.
- O'Rooney is cited here early. Mac Giolla Epscoip (Mac Gillespie)
was chief of Clann Aeilabhra, legislator of Cath Monaigh, located
somewhere in the barony of Iveagh up to the 12th century.
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Iveagh (Upper-Upper Half)
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- MagAonghusa (Magennis
or McGuinness), lords of Iveagh, or 'Magennis's Country'. The Ua
hAonghusa (O'Hennessy) sept of Gailenga Becc was located on the
Co. Dublin/Meath border. The Gaileanga have an early genealogy tradition
back to Ailella Auluimm (Oilill Olum).
- The Clann Cholgan included
the families of MacColgan, O’Hennessy and O’Holohan. The MacColgans
(Mac Colgan) were chiefs of the territory around Kilcolgan in the
extreme northeast of County Offaly. The O’Hennessys (O hAonghusa)
shared the lordship of Clann Cholgan (i.e., their clan-name was applied
to the territory they possessed) with their kinsmen the O’Holohans
(O hUallachain). The O’Hennessys (0 hAonghusa) of Corca
Laoighdhe were chiefs of a territory in southwest Cork near Ross
Bay.
- O'Gowan is cited
here as noted in the name Ballygowan.
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- Mac Artain (MacCartan), chiefs of Kinel Fagartaigh, or 'MacArtan's
Country'. Ros Laogh
means promontory of the cow or calf. The MacIntyres had settled in
Glen Noe, near a promontory that had a rock in the shape of a white
cow- a location known as the Clach an Laoigh Bhiata, or stone of the
White calf in Glen Noe. 'MacArtan's Country' was also called Kinelearty
in Ulidian Antrim. Of the tribes of Uladh, Kinelarty named for the
Cenél Foghartaigh- Mac Artain (MacCartan), chiefs of Kinel
Fagartaigh, included the present baronies of Kinelarty, Dufferin (Dubthrín)
and part of Castlereagh, in county Down. According to Keating the
Mac Artán genealogy derives from the same origins as the Dál
n-Araidhe and Úí Eathach, his genealogy citing the line
of Mac Artán descending from Sárán m. Cóelbad
m. Cruind Ba Druí m. Echach m. Lugdach m. Rossa (of clann Conaill
Cernaich).
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- Lecale,
derived from the Dál Fiatach tribal name of Leth Cathail. The
Book of Lecan notes the Monaich Ulad of Rusat, and the Monaigh of
Lough Erne. Monaigh Arad, being called from one of the three grandsons
of Capha, in county Down. The Cenél Maelche, a sept of the
Ulidians of Dal-Araidians or Dál Fiatach, near Moira (Mag Rath),
county Down, or in Antrim, alias Monach. The annals make note of Mac
Giolla Epscoip (e.g. Mac Gillespie) as a Chief of Clann Aeilabhra,
rector of Monach-an-Dúin, legislator of Cath Monaigh; later
becoming erenaghs of Kilraine in couny Donegal.
- The Cenél Aengusa were kings of Leth Cathail, according to
MacFirbis, who also describes the Uí Morna of this region.
As tradition has it the ancient Manaigh or Monaigh occupied the area
near Lough Erne, giving their name to the modern county of Fermanagh.
- The Monaig are often associated with the Manapioi (Menapii), a maritime
Belgic tribe of Northern Gaul who are noted on Ptolemy's 2nd century
map of Ireland in southeast Ireland. They spread northwards as the
Fir Manach, or Monaig in Irish. O'Curry in his Manuscript Materials
mentions Monaigh Arad, being called from one of the three grandsons
of Capha, in county Down.
- The O'Colter
(Coulter) sept is noted here in medieval times.
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- The MacDunslevy
(Dunleavy) family were noted here as lords of Ulidia. The
Annals for Dál
Fiatach cite. (O'Duinnshleibhe or MacDunnshleibhe). The Irians
(or "Clan-na-Rory")
of Ulster also settled several families in Munster, as early as the
first and second centuries. The Craobh Ruadh [Creeveroe] or the portion
of the Red Branch Knights of Ulster, a large territory which comprised
the central parts of the present county Down, with some adjoining
parts of Armagh. The Ulaid were the great Érainnian people who gave
their name to Ulster, and it is they who are celebrated in the Ulster
Cycle. Their direct royal representatives in historical times were
the Dal bhFiatach of County
Down, but they also encompassed the Uí Duach and Dal Riada
as well. The Osraighe (including the Uí Duach and the MacGilpatricks)
were of the same stock as the Ulaid, being descended from Oengus Osraigh,
ancestor of the Dal bhFiatach. The Osraighe migrated to Ossory
(County Kilkenny). The Dal
bhFiatach or MacDonlevys (Mac Duinnshleibhe) were a warlike clan
that held great power in County Down and South Antrim until 1177.
Of the Clan-na-Rory,
who, according to O'Brien, possessed the Craobh Ruadh [Creeveroe]
or the territory of the famous Red
Branch Knights of Ulster.
- The Russell family
dates back to the 12th century at Downpatrick. Downpatrick
was originally named ‘Aras-celtair’ and ‘Rath-Keltair,’ one signifying
the house and the other the castle or fortification of Celtair, the
son of Duach; by Ptolemy it was called ‘Dunum.’
- Leth Cathail
is described as a subdivision of Uladh, the "half" belonging to Cathal,
son of Muireadhach, son of Aonghus, son of Maolcobha, son of Fiachna,
son of Deaman, a king of Ulidia. Literally, it was "Cathal's Half
of Dál Fiatach". As such the early genealogy of the Leth Cathail
is an offshoot of the Dál Fiatach.
- The first recorded arrival of the
Gallowglass was in 1259. Prince Aedh O’Connor of Connaught, son
of King Feidhlim married a princess, daughter of Dubhgall MacRory
King of the Hebrides.
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- Septs cited in this area in medieval times included Haughey, O'Mulcreevy,
and McAlinden.
- The Haughey, or
O'Hoey, chiefs were
included as Kings of Ulster (O hEochaidh) prior to the Norman invasion.
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- An old name for the barony is given as Boirche,
or Bairchiu.
- O'Machoiden (MacCadden), chief of Mughdorn, or Mourne. Colla
Meann fell in this battle. Colla Menn had sons named Mennit Chruthnech
and Mugdorn Dub di Ultaib. From Colla
Meann descended the Mughdorna and the Dál Mennat. The Collas
first went to their kin in Connaught [King
Muiredeach] and there gathered a great army for the invasion of
Ulster. Co. Monaghan. The Mugdorna
territory stretched from Monaghan, where it is preserved in the name
Cremourne (Crích Mugdorna "the territory of the Mughdorn"),
south to as far as the river Boyne at Navan.
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